Getter device



GETTER DEVICE Filed Feb. 6, 1961 INVENTOR Pave? @zfa. P0423 BY m WW'MM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,033,354 GETTER DEVICE Paolo Della Porta, 215 Via Gallarate, Milan, Italy Filed Feb. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 87,497 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-.4)

The present invention relates to an improvement in getter devices which are used inside electronic tubes.

There are already known getter devices comprising an endless channel having a longitudinal opening or slit for enabling getter vapour to escape, wherein at least one wall of the channel extends upwards and away from the channel at a predetermined angle. Such a device is de scribed in the specifications of my US. Patents Nos. 2,824,640 and 2,907,451.

A getter device of this known construction has however been found to have disadvantages in that some of the escaping getter vapour particles either fail to remain on the wall of the enclosing tube as intended or collide with one another to be deflected in undesirable directions, or both. These stray particles tend to fall back on to the electrodes of the tube, causing damage.

While the device used is of this known construction, it is modified by means of the present invention to overcome these disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a getter device comprising an endless channel member containing getter material from which getter vapour particles escape, wherein said channel member is formed substantially around the perimeter of a closing element, whereby said closing element protects the electrodes of an electronic tube from bombardment by said falling getter vapour particles.

In order that the invention may be more easily understood, an embodiment is shown by way of example only in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view;

FIGURE 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a similar sectional view of the device mounted in the head of an electronic tube.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, a circular channeled member 1 for containing getter material 7 has an upwardly extending wall 2 around its outer perimeter designed to guide the escaping getter vapour particles. The area inside the inner perimeter formed by the channel member 1 is closed entirely by a closing element 3 in the form of a disc integral with the channel member 1.

In FIGURE 3 the dotted lines indicate the paths of travel of those stray getter vapour particles which collide with one another or rebound from the wall 5 of the enclosing electronic tube 4. It is desirable that the particles should remain on the end wall 5 of the tube 4. However, protection from damaging bombardment of these stray particles on the electrodes 6 is given by the closing element 3 acting as a shield.

In further embodiments the channel member 1 may be of toroidal, ring or such endless shape as is necessary to run substantially around the perimeter of the closing element 3, which may be of any shape convenient to protect the electrodes from the falling particles. Furthermore the channel member 1 may comprise a tube having a longitudinal slit to enable the vapour particles to escape. One or more walls 2 of the member 1 may be employed, and these may be angled, independently of one another, to guide the escaping particles.

What I claim is:

A getter device comprising an endless channel member containing getter material from which getter vapour particles escape, wherein said channel member is formed substantially around the perimeter of a disc member, whereby said disc member protects the electrodes of an electronic tube from bombardment by falling getter vapour particles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,060,861 Glans Nov. 17,1936 2,082,851 Smith June 8, 1937 2,464,272 .Suesholtz et al Mar. 15, 1949 

